Mosque construction site vandalized in Queens Village: NYPD

By Naeisha Rose

The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating a possible bias incident that took place at a construction site where a mosque is being built in Queens Village.

Workers at the construction site located at 80-35 237th St. called the police around 6 p.m. last Friday after finding graffiti on the area where the building was supposed to erected that said “911,” “Terr” and “Mosque,” the NYPD said.

According to police, the graffiti was on multiple locations at the construction site.

The Islamic Foundation of New York is the owner of the building and located next to the site.

The foundation’s IFNY website, said the Masjid (Mosque) building was a project nine years in the making and the space is meant for Quranic teachings, Jumuah (Friday) prayer and for Islamic programming for children.

State Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) and City Councilman Barry Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens) issued a joint statement in response to the graffiti found on the mosque in their district.

“The anti-Muslim graffiti vandalism that appeared on a construction fence… where a mosque is under construction is repugnant to this community and deeply disappointing to see in this day and age,” the Queens lawmakers said. “Inflammatory words of hate, acts of vandalism, and attacks on the free exercise of faith have absolutely no place in a civilized society and deserve to be condemned. A hate crime against one of us is a hate crime against all of us, an assault on our inclusive New York values, and a threat to our identity as Americans.”

Both officials rallied against a similar situation nearly a year ago after residents in Holliswood discovered swastikas and hate speech scrawled on the old Holliswood Hospital.

Authorities said the investigation into the vandalism of the mosque was ongoing.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.